Sharks Keep Kings in Check

Published 4:00 am, Friday, March 27, 1998

1998-03-27 04:00:00 PDT Inglewood -- When a team breaks out a four- goal lead inside the first 20 minutes, it's usually the signal a basic

rout is on the horizon. But the Sharks being the Sharks, couldn't help themselves. They had to make things interesting.

San Jose survived many shaky moments last night and held on to most of its big edge, beating the Los Angeles Kings 5-2 at the Great Western Forum. The victory resuscitates the Sharks' playoff hopes, which were beginning to fade.

The Sharks have climbed back to within three points of Edmonton for the eighth and final playoff berth of the Western Conference. With only 11 games remaining, a loss here would have been big trouble.

"We've been letting teams get ahead of us," said Sharks centerBernie Nicholls. "We've got a crucial stretch on the road. They're road games, but we've got to do well."

Said center Mike Ricci: "We know what we have to do. . . . We know what it takes; we have to do it. This is a good start."

The Sharks began the proceedings in grand style, with four first- period goals, two on the power play. Jeff Friesen, who later added an empty-net goal with 25.5 seconds remaining in the game, and ex-King Tony Granato hit Los Angeles with man-advantage scores less than three minutes apart.

Then a couple of crusty, checking-line types, Ron Sutter and Dave Lowry, collaborated to make it 3-0 at 14:33, with Lowry one-timing in Sutter's behind-the net pass. John MacLean finished off the opening-period assault on the Kings and goalie Stephane Fiset with a shot from the right-wing circle at 18:07.

But things turned dramatically.

"To go into a hole like that (is tough)," said Kings defenseman Philippe Boucher. "We couldn't come back. We left Fiset by himself. They had some good scoring chances the whole first period. We came back, but it was too late."

If not for the stalwart stops of goalie Mike Vernon, the Sharks would be lamenting over the win that wasn't. Craig Johnson (on a second-period power play) and Jo- zef Stumpel cashed in on some sloppy play in the Sharks' zone, and it was 4-2 at 2:14 of the third period.

That was all the Kings got, thanks to Vernon. He robbed Ian Laperriere on a last-gasp glove save in traffic, rejected Vitali Yachmenev with about three minutes left and gave also Glen Murray nothing to shoot at when he was all alone in front on a power play. In all, Vernon stopped 15 mostly-dangerous shots in the third period.

"Oh, my God, he was unbelievable," said right wing Joe Murphy, who made his Sharks' debut along with defenseman Bryan Marchment. "He stood like a wall and made some incredible saves. He saved the game for us, really."

Murphy would get no argument for Stumpel.

"(Vernon) looked like he was getting tired at the end of the game," said Stumpel. "We tried to get as many opportunities as we could. He stepped up pretty good and made some good saves."

That the Kings were getting all the goal possibilities the last two periods, not the Sharks, was a surprising development. Los Angeles was the one with the big deficit and forced to forsake most defensive thought. Yet the Kings had scoring chance after scoring chance.

"When a team gets off to such a big lead, it's tough to stay (on the attack)," said Nicholls, another ex- King. "You try to protect the lead and the other team keeps coming back, and it's tough to turn it around again. We played more of a defensive shell and didn't try to create anything. We were trying to hold the lead."

There wasn't much "we" in the fact that the Sharks stayed ahead. It was Vernon.

"Oustanding," Ricci said of Vernon's performance. "He kept us in it. That's why Vernie is the goalie he is. We're very confident when he's in the net. . .no worries when he's in there."

If the Sharks had gagged this big lead, there would be plenty to worry about.

NOTES: Sharks right wing Owen Nolan suffered a mild separated shoulder against the Kings in San Jose on Tuesday and missed last night's game. Nolan is expected to rejoin the team during the trip, perhaps in Dallas tomorrow. . . . Sharks coach Darryl Sutter said Marchment was "outstanding. . .really, really good." . . . Left wing Murray Craven missed his fourth straight game with shoulder and neck woes.